Verizon to shut down go90 video streaming service

Verizon’s ad-supported video streaming platform go90 will shut down operations on July 31, the company announced Thursday afternoon.

The mobile video service’s death is due to a general lack of interest from viewers, and the resulting lack of ad dollars coming in from advertisers. People weren’t interested in the content on the platform, or were already watching it elsewhere.

Go90’s operations will be folded into Oath, the new home for all video operations taking place at Verizon, including content from AOL and Yahoo – both owned by Verizon.

“Following the creation of Oath, Go90 will be discontinued,” a Verizon representative said in a statement. “Verizon will focus on building its digital-first brands at scale in sports, finance, news and entertainment for today’s mobile consumers and tomorrow’s 5G applications.”

The app’s demise wasn’t a total surprise, however. In February, Oath CEO Tim Armstrong told attendees of a Code Media conference session that go90 would eventually be phased out, and its content would then be distributed across Yahoo and other Verizon properties.

Go90’s content has already been pumped across other Oath outlets, and the company has noticed a sizable increase in audience size for the same material that was previously dying on go90. 17 million unique viewers tuned in to watch go90 shows on other properties.

It’s not immediately clear where go90’s employees will land. A spokesperson confirmed that no significant layoffs are planned, but a number of redundant positions will likely be eliminated.

Go90 featured content from partners like AwesomenessTV, Vice, New Form, and Endemol Shine. Original programming included shows like Top Grier from Hayes Grier, and Like and Subscribe, which recently made news headlines for their experimental marketing mural.